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The Minnesota Vikings’ activity in free agency left their plans for their first-round pick unclear. Some expected them to take a player in the trenches. Others predicted secondary help. Minnesota opted for the former.
Using the 24th pick on Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson cemented an entire revamping of their interior offensive line. Now, they’ll move forward in search of defensive help and potential additions at receiver or tight end.
For now, in terms of Day 2 picks, Minnesota only has No. 97 in the third round. Which prospects make the most sense? Here are the best available options who could realistically be on the board when the Vikings make their next pick.
Shemar Turner, DT, Texas A&M
Turner is a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ system. He can play multiple positions on the front. He’s feisty. He has more wiggle than you’d expect for a 6-foot-3, 290-pounder. He isn’t far from the Milton Williams mold, and the New England Patriots just paid Williams more than $50 million in guaranteed money. Add Turner to the defensive line mix behind Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, and Minnesota will have more juice up front than it has had in years.
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Edge/DT, Georgia
The Vikings already have six likable defensive tackles on the roster: Allen, Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez and Taki Taimani. Drafting another might leave an odd man out, so Minnesota must weigh the ramifications of cutting one of these players.
Still, the decision-makers could deem Ingram-Dawkins worthwhile. He is a bit of a wild-card selection in that he was not overwhelmingly productive in college. He tallied 37 career tackles and only four sacks. He’s lighter, but Flores loves versatility, and Ingram-Dawkins could play every spot on the defensive front.
Vernon Broughton, DT, Texas
He posted one of the highest pass-rush win rates in college football, pressured Ohio State constantly in the College Football Playoff and is massive with 35-inch arms. Broughton is more of a traditional interior defender than Ingram-Dawkins. Still, the high level of impact would be a selection similar to the Vikings’ pick of Jackson in the first round.
Nohl Williams, CB, Cal
Because Flores dialed up so much man coverage in Miami, most evaluators think he prefers long-armed cornerbacks schooled in press coverage. Really, though, Flores has majored in zone since he arrived in Minnesota. Williams is everything he would want. He played with his eyes on the quarterback in college and recorded seven interceptions last season. He’s a willing tackler who could become a surefire starter.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Undersized receivers have never scared off Keenan McCardell. The Vikings’ well-respected receivers coach loved Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison for their separation ability and explosiveness. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound Noel may not be as slithery as Minnesota’s top two — who is? — but he’s dynamic. He caught 80 passes for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He also has punt return experience, which would be useful considering the Vikings did not bring back receiver Brandon Powell.
Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
Another team might pluck Noel from the board early on Day 2. If so, and if the Vikings covet another jitterbug who can separate, Williams makes sense. He has the speed to win at all three levels. His after-the-catch skills would make for a fun pairing alongside Jefferson and Addison.
He didn’t play much special teams in college, so the multi-phase versatility might not be there the way it is for Noel or others. His presence would make the Vikings staff sleep easier knowing Jalen Nailor is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Tai Felton, WR, Maryland
Unlike Noel and Williams, it’s a safer bet to expect Felton to be there at No. 97. He is more long-levered than Noel and Williams but still slight. McCardell attended his pro day and monitored him closely at the combine in Indianapolis. Felton enters as the obvious replacement at the No. 3 receiver spot if Nailor departs next offseason. He has special teams experience, which could help him find a role as a rookie.
Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
Miss out on all of the aforementioned receivers, and Lane could be in play. He’s another undersized receiver at 5-foot-9, and he’s also an experienced punt returner. That said, his 2024 numbers were paltry compared to those of Noel, Williams and Felton, catching only 38 passes for 466 yards. McCardell might see a world in which he could elevate Lane’s play with development.
Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA
Cornerbacks with this combination of size and speed don’t come around often. Frazier, a 6-foot-2, 186-pounder, doesn’t have trouble tracking the ball downfield, either. His body type and play style aren’t too different from Khyree Jackson, whom the Vikings drafted last year. The questions to consider: How far will Frazier fall? And how much do the Vikings feel they need to draft a cornerback with youngsters Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern in the room? The answers to both could sway whether Minnesota targets him.
Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
The Vikings don’t necessarily need a running back, but Smith isn’t your typical back. He played receiver for three years in college and returned kicks. Combine the versatile skill set with his running potential (he rushed for more than 1,300 yards at SMU), and Minnesota will have infused its roster with an intriguing weapon for head coach Kevin O’Connell to deploy.
(Photo of Shemar Turner: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
